Sticktight fleas associated with fowl pox in a backyard chicken flock in California.
A mixed breed rooster, from a backyard flock of 13 chickens, was received at California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System-Turlock Branch for postmortem examination. The bird presented with thickened, featherless, scab-encrusted skin around the head region. Numerous sticktight fleas were found attached to the encrusted skin. Microscopic evaluation of the skin revealed a lymphoplasmacytic reaction in the dermis with visible embedded flea mouthparts. Also noted histologically in this region were epidermal hyperplasia and ballooned epidermal cells containing intracytoplasmic inclusions indicative of fowl poxvirus.
Gustafson
C R
CR
California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System-Turlock Branch, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis 95381, USA.
Bickford
A A
AA
Cooper
G L
GL
Charlton
B R
BR
D000818:Animals; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D005586:Fowlpox / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D005423:Siphonaptera; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology